Turkey temporarily suspends ECHR following coup attempt

Turkey is to temporarily suspend the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) as part of its state of emergency declared in the wake of an attempted coup apparently led by members of the Gülenist movement.

A senior government official said, however, that fundamental rights and freedoms will not be affected during this time.

Numan Kurtulmuş, Deputy Prime Minister and government spokesperson, told reporters: “France proclaimed a state of emergency, too. And they have suspended the ECHR upon article 15 of the Convention.

“A declaration of a state of emergency is not against the ECHR.”

Article 15 provides: “In time of war or other public emergency threatening the life of the nation any High Contracting Party may take measures derogating from its obligations under this Convention to the extent strictly required by the exigencies of the situation, provided that such measures are not inconsistent with its other obligations under international law.”

Mr Kurtulmuş added: “I want to guarantee that fundamental rights and freedoms and normal daily life will not be affected by this. Our citizens should feel comfortable about that.”